It’s only been a matter of days since the Zune HD OpenZDK was announced, but we’re already starting to see the fruits of the all work that has gone into creating a publicly available development kit.

Arguably, one of the world’s most favorite video games, Doom, has been ported onto the Zune HD courtesy of Glenn Anderson. The famous first-person shooter showcases the power of the embedded NVidia Tegra CPU/Graphics processor. Unfortunately, we’re not keen on a FPS that relies on touchscreen controls but that is besides the point…

We’ve been following the development quite closely, and we reckon that there are some exciting “developments” in the pipeline. There are already attempts being made to port a flavor of Linux onto the media player.

Video of Doom on the Zune HD after the jump…

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There have been all sort of rumors surrounding the release of a Zune HD2, but with little evidence to support these claims. With another story to possibly add to the rumor pile, Zunited are reporting the unearthing of a new Microsoft player appropriately nicknamed the Zune HD2.

While at a recent “The Microsoft Experience” event, two lucky individuals got to lay their hands and eyes on some of the latest Microsoft tech. One of those gadgets just “happened” to be the new Zune HD2. While we have no means of verification of the story, the rumors possibly offer some truth.

Other than a name, no further details have provided which makes the story all a bit sketchy. The question beckons: has the player been mistaken for the Microsoft Zune 64GB?

[via Slashgear]

The culmination of a new Zune HD 64GB and firmware v4.5 has meant that the Zune HD has received a lot of attention recently, but we can announce a new SDK for developers – an SDK of different sorts.

That’s right, ZuneBoards is reporting that Microsoft’s flagship media player has been hacked by a group of indie developers.  Available for all versions of the Zune, the hack, titled OpenZDK, gives developers “access to everything XNA withheld before”.  Essentially, this will mean that sky is the limit (games and apps galore).

Until those developers crack on and develop something to show for, consumers will be kept in limbo. The question beckons: how long until we see Microsoft patch the flaw with a new firmware update? Takers?

[via Engadget]

Microsoft have blindsided us with a double whammy. Not only is a 64GB version of the Zune HD confirmed, but the 64GB release will coincide with firmware update v4.5 of the Zune HD.

The updated firmware marks much-needed/anticipated additions to the Zune operating system. Some of the changes are said to include Smart DJ mix, personalized recommendations, and Marketplace support for TV.

Smart DJ is a catch-up feature to the iPod’s Genius technology. What makes it an awesome addition is the fact that consumers will be able to use it to stream content from the Zune Marketplace. Pandora anybody?

The biggest news is added video codec support. That’s right, Microsoft have announced support for Xvid, part of full compatibility with MPEG-4 part 2 Advanced Simple Profile. We would go more in-depth on the added features, but there’s no need to – check out the video below…

Getting back to that 64GB version, the device now has its own dedicated product page. Nope, nothing new other than the increased storage capacity.

The 64GB version will set you back $349.99, which is much cheaper than the pesky 64GB iPod Touch (currently priced at $399.99); although, the 64GB range is yet to appear on any major online retailers.

[via SlashGear, Engadget]

A 64GB version of the Zune HD has made a brief appearance on the official Zune site. Soon after making the front page of Engadget, the link was subsequently removed. Yup, we’re not too sure what they’re hiding either.

If you’re looking to dip your hands into your pockets to shell out for a new Zune, we suggest you hold onto your wallets because we have a feeling that something special might be on the way…

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Microsoft are selling the Zune HD customizable with a free Valentine’s Day design. Consumers are able to choose from 5 different colors, including a mushy pattern, and can opt in for text engraving on the backside.

You will unlikely be unable to take advantage of the recent price drop for a while because the customizable Zune HD Valentine’s edition is only available through Microsoft directly.

To order your Zune, check out the Zune site for further info.

[source]

Christmas has come and gone, and that Zune HD is not flying off store shelves like it once was. Maybe the novelty has worn off? That’s our theory at least.

In an unexpected move, online retailers Newegg and Amazon have slashed the price of Microsoft’s Zune HD. If you thought after-Christmas specials were the best time to buy a new Zune HD, you might be in better luck if you waited because both online retailers have cut their prices buy around $30-40 USD.

Unfortunately, you might struggle to take advantage of the news if you’re looking for a Zune HD other than the Black 16GB or the Platinum 32GB versions.

[source Engadget]

One of the features that makes the infamous iPod Touch such a dominant player (pun intended) in the market is its application store. Microsoft has proved rather successful with its version of an app store by integrating the Zune HD player with the likes of the XBox gaming system.

The marketplace now has an exciting new app courtesy of Twitter.  All the twitter goodness that you’ve experienced on your Touch is now available on the Zune HD.

While you get all the same great features as seen on other platforms, you might be rather perplexed to discover that your tweets will not be including profanity. Yup, that’s right. The app censors bad words.

We’re not too sure which big cheese come up with the big idea. Free speech? I suppose they’ve not heard of capitalism either (whoops). Nice move Microsoft.

[via SlipperyBrick]